Mail
by Nankosensei2839
Summary: When 13 year old Suzuki receives a strange email, with an even stranger proposition, can she figure out the clues in time, or will she be eliminated. literally. Rated T just to be on the safe side. Also there may be a little romance here and there! Sorry for horrible summary!
1. Chapter 1

"Oh Princess Pink, your so pretty in that dress! Do you like mine? Oh yes, but should we go to the ball or the dance?" Suzuki covered her head with a pillow to block out the sound of her sister.

"Shut up." She mumbled. Of course her sister paid no notice and continued to explain to Princess Pink

that a ball was a much better choice and Prince Once Was a Frog would be there.

"Ami, I said shut up!" Suzuki shouted again. Finally everything turned to silence.

"MOM!"Ami's high pitched voice screamed. "SUZUKI TOLD ME TO SHUT UP!" A sleepy reprimand drifted up from from the stairs.

"See? I can play whatever I want. Can't I Princess pink? Yes you can and Suzuki can't say shut up to you." Ami continued to play her game while Suzuki seethed under the covers. After about three minutes she got up and went down stairs where she turned the TV on low and watched one of the five shows they had. Pouring herself a bowl of cereal she went to the couch to watch. The show was the morning news. On the screen was a lady with blond hair and too much blush. She smiled sweetly and started her report.

_Booooring_.

She wandered over to the computer, leaving the TV on, and plopped herself down onto the large, leather arm chair. The old thing choked to life at her touch and slowly, very slowly tried to open the web browser. Her email popped up, and she smiled. Naoki.

**Hey there.**

**I heard your sister screaming and figured you were awake. So want to hang out later?**

**-Naoki**

Suzuki smiled to her self, and went back to her email box. There was a new email, but it wasn't an address she recognized.

It had no subject.

Spam mail?

She opened it up

**Dear Suzuki,**

**Congratulations! You have been scouted as one of the candidates for an upcoming event. There are thirteen other contestants and only four of them will be chosen as the winner! The winners will receive 20,000,000 dollars cash. To enter please reply to this email with this code.**

**25565**

**Then you will be sent a email every week with a clue. You must solve one clue to move on to the next. If you are the last to figure out the clue, you will be disqualified. The last four people will be the winners!**

**Good luck!**

**-V**

Suzuki stared at the email in blatant shock. 20,000,000 dollars? It must be a joke! But then if it was a joke then it wouldn't hurt to reply... Would it? But then she would look like an idiot falling for such a stupid prank. But...

Her mouse drifted up to the reply button. She hesitated for one second and the clicked. She wondered what in the world she was doing. Carefully, she typed in the numbers.

25565

She stared hard at the email wondering if this was really a good idea.

_Come on whats the worst that could happen?_

_It could be some joke and then I could get majorly embarrassed._

_Or it could be real and you would have a chance at winning 20,000,000 dollars. You know how much you need that money._

_Yes but..._

_Just hit send already!_

_I don't know about this_

_Oh my god, your such a wimp._

_FINE!_

Before she realized what she was doing the mail was sent and she was staring at her hand in anger. Stupid hand. But now what. Was she supposed to wait for a week? What was supposed to happen.

A new email popped up in her inbox. She almost jumped out of her seat.

She held her breath.. It wasn't possible was it?

She clicked the email.

**Dear Suzuki,**

**Thank you for entering! The first clue will be sent to you on,**

**5/15/2012**

**We hope to see you in the end!**

**V**


	2. Chapter 2

Now it was getting weird. Suzuki sat back in her chair, it making a horrible squeaking sound in the process, and propped her feet up on the desk. She stared at the screen and thought hard.

_It's probably some joke._

_And if its not?_

_I... Don't know._

_What if you won?_

_Wait, wait, wait. That's thinking way to far ahead of the problem now. We still don't know if its real or not._

_It seems fairly legit._

_Like what.. What seems legit about some weird email with a weird contest and a impossible amount of money..._

_Some rich kid that needs help with his really hard home work?_

_I sometimes wonder how stupid you are._

_But I am you. And you are I. So you wonder about your own stupidity. I guess that _would_ make you stupid._

_Agh! Shut up, your not helping!_

_Your not helping._

Suzuki stood and reached for her cereal in frustration, when she heard her email pop. She froze. What could it be this time? Turning to face the monitor, she sighed in relief. Naoki.

**Hey!**

**Ummmm. This is going to sound really weird... But can you meet me out side... Like in five min? I will be waiting by my house.**

**Naoki.**

Suzuki got up, put her cereal bowl away and rushed back upstairs. Her heart couldn't take much more of this. First a weird email, and then Naoki. What was going on today! Quickly changing into some jean cutoffs and a tank top she started back down the stairs.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Her suspicious sister called out from behind her.

_Crap_

"Just to see Naoki." She said. Even if her sister was smaller and weaker than her, when it came to being a tattle tale, she was the best.

"You know your not allowed to be outside before mom gets up... But maybe I would forget if I was... Persuaded." Ami crossed her arms smiling gleefully. Suzuki had a secret stash of candy in the back of her bedside table.

And Ami was the only other soul that knew about it.

"Ugh, OK what do you want" Suzuki said as she opened the drawer pulling out a handful.

"Ummmm... One of those strawberry lollipops." Suzuki handed her the requested candy, which was promptly unwrapped for closer inspection, and when she was satisfied that it was indeed the correct candy, stuck it in her mouth. Ami handed back the wrapper for disposal and continued to play as if nothing else had happened. Suzuki smiled. At least the little monster had a sweet tooth. She then raced back down stairs and opened the door to the fresh air of the early morning, quietly shutting it behind her. She started off in the direction of Naoki's house. The cool morning breeze felt clean and fresh against her skin. Taking a deep breath she persuaded herself into cheering up. It wasn't that far a walk and even before she realized, she was already at her destination. She saw her friend drop out of the tree in her front yard, and run up to hug her.

"Hey, whats up. Your email scared me a little bit." Naoki nodded.

"Sorry, but... OK... I can't really explain it." Naoki stopped and took a deep breath. "I'm just going to say it... And if you think I'm a whack job just laugh..." Suzuki nodded slightly. This was the first time she had ever seen her friend so serious. Naoki then began.

"I received a really strange email about some kind of contest with money, and I answered with the code they sent to activate or whatever, and then I got a return email saying that I was, and now I am some sort of clue hunt or something... And... I don't know if its real..."

Suzuki stared at her friend. Her brain trying to catch up with what she had just said. Then it clicked. She felt her bottom hit the concrete. Hard.

"Hey are you alright?" Naoki looked down, confused at the reaction.

"I go that too. I got that stupid email as well." Naoki's eyes widened and she sat down next to her.

"Wait that means-"

"It's real." Suzuki said. "I don't know if that's great news or that's horrible news." They were both silent for a couple of minutes, trying to process the information.

"But if its real. That means we both have a chance at getting our hands on that prize money." Excitement started to creep into Naoki's voice. For some reason it was disturbing to Suzuki.

"I don't know. This seems dangerous. I mean. Just something about it doesn't seem right." Naoki shrugged.

"Well.. We'll figure it out in three days. I guess."

"Three days? Oh..." The fifteenth was just three days away. That was when the first clue would be given to them. Naoki rose, patting the leaves away from her jacket and helping her friend to her feet.

"Contact me if anything more happens." Suzuki nodded and hungged her friend, turning back only once to see her climb the stairs to her house. She couldn't shake the feeling that something very bad was going to come of this. And there was very little that anyone could do about it.

**A/N**

**Sorry for the shortness. I am new to this whole thing.**

**Also thank you for reading, it really makes my day!**


	3. Chapter 3

Suzuki awoke, startled, but by what, she couldn't remember. A dream... Or.. A memory? She rubbed her eyes and slid out of her bed, tensing, as her feet hit the cold, wood, floor. It was earlier than she had ever been up before, even Ami was still sleeping. Suzuki was tempted to take some pictures of her drooling sister, but knowing what her real task was today, she went down stairs. On the last step she stopped, looking around at the dark, empty living room. Usually it comforted her, knowing that this place had shared so many warm memories of her and her family. But today she couldn't feel that same comfort. It was as if the cold had seeped all the happiness from the place. Suzuki shook her head and walked over to the monitor. She clicked the mouse once and heard the fan slowly begin to hum, and the screen flicked on, showing a picture of her, her mom and Ami. The backdrop was a large canyon, stretching off in all directions as far as the eye could see. Suzuki smiled, remembering that trip. She sat down carefully, as to not make any noise, an clicked the web browser. It took five minuets just to start and then another two to open her email.

No new mail.

Part of her jumped for joy and the other fell in disappointment. It was such a weird combination of emotions, and it made her feel even more muddled. She got up to make herself some breakfast and take her mind off things. She opened the fridge to a sad sight, two moldy breakfast tacos, one slice of stale cheese, a stick of butter, and a little expired milk. Suzuki slammed the fridge, and leaned back against it. This was why she had to do this. Why she had to win, at all costs. They could not afford to keep on going like this. She was doing this for her mother and Ami. Stomping back to the computer, she sat and waited. And waited... And waited.

Her eyes began to droop. No, she would not fall asleep. She pinched herself, and stood, and paced, and then sat again.

No new mail.

What was taking this guy so long! It was his fault that she was dragged into this mess in the first place.

_His? Your assuming its male?_

_Yes... I am..._

_What if its female?_

_Then it's female._

_Then call it a she._

_I don't care what it is, but it better send me this 'clue' otherwise..._

_Otherwise?_

_Just never mind._

_Your nervous._

_You think?_

_Coward._

_Why do you feel the need to say such cruel things to me?_

_Maybe your a masochist?_

_Oh just shut up!_

Suzuki stood and stomped over to the pantry, opening it and taking a sugar cube. Hopefully it would keep her awake. When she sat back down her heart seemed to skip a beat.

One new mail.

No subject.

Taking a deep breath she clicked the mail. It took her a moment to get her eyes working so that she could even read it. Her stomach twisted and her head went light. There was not the usual 'Dear Suzuki'. Just some lines... Of a... What the heck was this?


	4. Chapter 4

There were two words on her screen

**TAMED HART**

What in the world could this mean? Tamed Hart. Her brain was whirring from a partial sugar rush and the adrenalin that was pumping through her veins. Deciding it was too much for her brain to handle at the moment, she looked it up on the web. As soon as she hit enter, a notice popped up on her screen.

You are not allowed to access this search data

What? What in the world did this mean? She heard the pop of her email. It startled her, but only just a bit. Not allowing herself to hesitate she opened it.

**Dear Suzuki,**

**Your next Clue will be found in the answer. **

She stared at the email for a moment before shutting down the entire computer in frustration. Her mind was spinning out of control. She needed a moment. Then it occurred to her. Why was this riddle so important to her? What was this urge inside of her? Was it because it made her feel special? One of these few who were chosen to solve these clues? Was she that shallow minded and selfish? This was getting her nowhere, instead of answering this question she was asking herself more. She took a deep breath and grabbed a piece of paper and a pencil. It was her favorite pencil, and thus it was heavily chewed on. It was a nasty habit she had many times tried to brake. But of course every attempt had failed, as was such with habits. The piece of paper stared back at her, its blankness filling her mind, and she let herself be taken over. It was a well practiced ritual with her. After many moments of trance like silence, the pencil hit the paper and she began to write.

**(A/N If you want to experience this moment more awesomely, go to youtube and search up L's theme B... Or A...)**

**Tamed Hart. **

She rolled the two words over in her head, and suddenly she had it. After scribbling for a few minutes she stopped to review her work thus far.

**Tamed hart = Mad hatter**

It was a simple anagram, but, Mad hatter? What could that mean. She let the words again float around in her head, trying to remember every reference about the Mad Hatter. No she was thinking too hard about this. She needed to focus on the simple questions.

_Where did the Mad Hatter originate from? _

_Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland._

_Another anagram?_

_But which was the anagram? Alice in Wonderland or Lewis Carroll?_

After another moment of thought something struck her. It had been a two word anagram, which made Lewis Carroll the best option. Quickly she made another list of anagrams for Lewis Carroll.

**Lilacs Rower**

**Corsair Well**

**Call Worries**

**Collar Wiser**

**Collar Weirs**

**Collar Wires**

**Collars Weir**

**Collars Wire**

**Locals Wrier**

Out of all of them only one seemed to stand out.

**Corsair Well**

It somehow sounded familiar. It also sounded like a place. What did Corsair mean, and where had she heard it before? She searched her memories, trying to grasp the faint whisper of the word. Then she remembered. It had been one of the words for her sixth grade spelling finale. She remembered having not only having to write the word but also the definition. When she remembered it she smiled triumphantly, she had solved it.

A pirate, especially along the Barbary Coast.

She retraced her steps one last time to make sure she had made no mistakes. Tamed Hart had become Mad hatter, which led her to Lewis Carrol, which had become Corsair well. She had then traced the word Corsair to the description which then had led her to Barbary coast. Barbary coast was a location and so was Corsair well meaning that Corsair well was located some where on the Barbary coast. Not simple, but not hard either.

_So, a pirate well on the Barbary coast._

_Sure, its not impossible is it?_

_Seems a little far fetched don't you think?_

_This whole thing is far fetched._

_And that was definitely too easy for you to solve._

_Well it is just the first clue._

_Yes but still, you really solved that too fast._

_Well maybe I'm a genius._

_No I can assure you, you are not._

Suzuki got up and folded the paper, placing it in her pocket. First things first, she needed to tell Naoki.

**(A/N)**

**OK, Long time no see. Well, I turned 14 (Happy birthday to me ^.^), went to Disney world, and got a ferret...**

**So, here is the fourth chapter, and thank you, thank you, thank you, for reading!**

**Reviews are REALLY appreciated.**

**And no, this is not a real place... -_-"**


	5. Chapter 5

Suzuki was standing in front of Naoki's house. Her hands were trembling, her breath coming in short pants. Where Naoki's house was, there was a empty lot. Even the old tree was gone. All that was left was the driveway and a bit of the foundation. A lone weed stood in the empty lawn, swaying softly in the breeze. She stood there in shock for a few moments before slowly lowering herself down, wrapping her arms around her middle. The note in her pocket felt as heavy as lead. How could a house and everyone in it just disappear?

She rocked herself back and forth, trying desperately to awaken from the nightmare she had lost herself in. There was no way this could be real. No way this was her reality. Reaching into her pocket and pulled out the slip of paper. It fluttered in the wind, or maybe it was the trembling of her hands. The words now seemed strange and alien. Almost as if they had been written by another person, and not by her hand.

Tamed hart.

It echoed in her head, as if mocking her. She had to get back home. She had to figure out what was going on. Slowly she turned her back to the empty space and ran. She ran as fast as she could, as if she could somehow outrun her nightmarish encounter. When she got home she flung open the door not caring whether or not someone heard her and collapsed in her seat, breathing heavily, her mind in a confusing spiral of unanswerable questions. She clutched her head and curled into a tight ball. She wanted to scream, and came very close to if Ami hadn't walked in her eyes wide with fear.

" Suzi?" She asked, her voice trembled, she was not used to seeing her sister in such a manner. Suzuki stared at her for a moment before opening her arms to her sister. She needed the comfort of somebody, even if that somebody was her little sister. Ami walked into the embrace and patted her sisters head.

"Did you have a bad dream?" She asked innocently. Suzuki shook her head. Oh how she wished it was all a bad dream. The whole thing, the clues, the email. All of it. Ami continued to pat her sisters head just like her mother had when Suzuki was little. Then she began to sing.

_A naoidhean bhig, cluinn mo ghuth_

_Mise ri d' thaobh, O mhaighdean bhan_

_Ar righinn oig, fas as faic_

_Do thir, dileas Fein_

_A ghrian a's a ghealaich, stuir sinn_

_Gu uair ar cliu 's ar gloire_

_Naoidhean bhig, ar righinn go_

_Mhaighdean uashaill bhan_

For the age of five, she had a beautiful voice, and one that could sooth away fear and worry. Suzuki looked up at her sisters chubby face and planted a kiss on her forehead.

"Thank you, Ami. I feel better." Ami smiled and then slid down onto the floor.

"I want an egg!" She demanded. Suzuki took a glance at the computer screen. Ami couldn't erase what Suzuki had seen, but she had helped at least.

"Not now. I need to do something." She paused for a second. "Actually. Can you help me?" Suzuki knelt down so she was eye level with her little sister.

"I am going on... A little trip, and I might not be back for a while. I need you to look after mom. Can you do that for me?" Ami nodded, her eyes large with both fear and excitement.

"Good, now I need to pack." Suzuki stood up again and started making a list.

It took no more than thirty minutes to pack almost all of her clothing, some food and water and all of savings, into a small carry on bag. Ami watched her sister in silence, unsure what to do. Suzuki was unsure herself what she was going to do. Her savings were roughly six hundred dollars, enough for the greyhound and they had some family up there that she was hoping she could stay with. San Francisco. Her mother told her that she had been born there. It would be fine. Of course it would be. She took a deep breath. She knew what she was doing was stupid, reckless, and immature, but she had to do it anyway. She couldn't let what had happened to Naoki happen to her family as well. And if possible she was going to get Naoki back as well. She glanced at the clock. 8:50 AM. She needed to go before her mom got up. Ami sat on her bed and had begun kicking her feet. Suzuki wondered if it was truly the best idea to leave. She shook her head. She had already decided, she was leaving. She was going to find the truth behind all of this. Even if it meant she had to play this stupid game.

"OK." Suzuki put her hands on her hips, and eyed her room, wondering when she would see it again. Or Ami. Or her mom.

"Are you leaving now?" Ami asked, her voice cracked.

"Yes. You be good OK? I'll call you when I get to... Where I am going." She didn't want to tell her little sister. The less she knew the better it would be for her. And the less her mother knew, the better. Ami began to cry and ran to Suzuki, clutching her legs with her chubby little arms.

"I'll be good." She said between sobs. Suzuki ducked down and kissed the top of her head.

"Good girl. Help me carry my bag down stairs will you?" Ami nodded and furiously wiped her tears with her arm. She grabbed the bag and helped as much as a five year old could, all the while trying to contain her tears. When they reached the bottom, Suzuki turned one last time to her sister.

"Your very brave. I know you are. You'll be just fine. OK?"

"OK." The sister's embraced one last time before Suzuki opened the door and walked out, not daring to turn back.

**(A/N)**

**Hello! Finally! The story is getting interesting :P**

**If you want to know what song Ami was singing to Suzuki or 'Suzi'**

**search up 'Noble Maiden Fair' on Youtube. It should be the first result.**

**Thank you so much for reading!**

**Also sorry for Ami's sudden change in character, but she feels more natural this way.**

**Please R&R**


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